Heat exchange apparatus



NOV. 6, 1934. c H L 1,979,751

HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l EEK 1% .5@@FII IIEI II:

mined" f \36 lvenlvr Ndv. 6, 1934. c. H. LEACH HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUSFiled NOV. 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to heat exchange apparatus, and moreparticularly to apparatus of this character employed in conjunction withoil refining operations and the like.

The object of the invention is to improve heat exchange apparatus of thetubular type in a manner to facilitate removal of the surrounding shellindependently of conditions which may prevail in the interior thereof.

With this principal object in view, I propose to provide in a heatexchanger of the tubular type adapted either as a liquid to liquidexchanger, or a vapor to liquid exchanger, a surrounding shell whichtapers lengthwise ofthe tube bundle or adjacent the joint which is to besevered or disconnected for removal of the shell. With this form ofconstruction collections of coke or other solid deposits which tend tobind the shell to the enclosed tubes or baflles in a vapor to liquidexchanger do not interfere with the removal of the shell once thesedeposits have been initially broken or dislodged. In a like maner, it ispossible in constructing a liquid to liquid exchanger with my improvedconstruction to provide for tight bafiling within the shell which wouldotherwise so seriously impede and interfere with the removal of theshell that it would be impractical for use.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of theinvention, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a vapor to liquidexchanger embodying the features of the invention; Fig. 2 illustratesthe tapered shell in conjunction with a liquid to liquid exchanger; Fig.3 is a section of the'liquid to liquid exchanger on the line 3-3 of Fig.2; and Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the mounting for the longitudinalbafile in the liquid to liquid exchanger. The illustrated embodiment ofthe invention is shown in connection with a vapor to liquid exchangerwell suited for oil refining operations, and in addition a horizontaltype of a liquid to liquid exchanger.

The vapor heat exchanger, as indicated particularly in Fig. 1, comprisesa supporting member 10 of generally circular conformation, which may bemade as a forging, casting or other equivalent construction, This memberhas a peripheral upstanding flange 12 surrounding one or more condensatebasins-14 and supporting a nozzle annulus 16 having inlet and outletnozzles 1'7 and 18, respectively. The support 10 may be provided, as iscommon in this type of apparatus, with a transverse tube sheet 20, towhich are connected bundles, and which has its greatest diameter theheat exchange tubes 22 which may be formed in a series of bundles, eachhaving a floating head 24 at its upper end to permit independentexpansion and contraction of the tube bundles. The interior of the tubesat their lower ends communicates with liquid passages or chambers 26which are formed in the unitary support 10 below the tube sheet 20. Thepassages are separated by integral depending ribs 28, and are closedfrom beneath by a flat cover member 30, which is secured to the ribs byintermediate bolting studs 32, and to a depending peripheral flange 34.-by studs '36. The chambers may be provided, if so desired, withadditional partitions 40 for further sub-dividing the flow of liquidthrough the tubes, as is common in this class of apparatus.

As will be evident, the vapor is introduced through the nozzle 17 andflows upwardly through the initial vapor pass 42, contacting with thetubes therein, and thence downwardly through the vapor pass 44 andoutwardly through the nozzle 18. The two vapor passes are divided by apartition 46, which may be connected to the shell and extends upwardlybetween the adjacent floating heads on the tube bundles.

Vapor flow through the intertubular space is further governed by aseries of ring baffies which are located primarily in thecircumferential space between the tubes and enclosing shell. Thesebaflles consist of semi-circular rings indicated at 50, 52 and 54,respectively, these rings being supported at spaced intervals uponsupporting rods and spacers 56, which are secured at their lower ends tothe supporting member 60, projecting inwardly from the flange 12. Thebafile rings are graduated to substantially fill the space between thetapered shell and enclosed tube bundle, and the two bafile assembliescomplement one another to fill the entire circumferential space. If sodesired, the space between adjacent bundles may be further baffled bytransverse members 58, which are supported at opposite ends on thebafile ring.

It will be noted that the baffle assembly is supported independently ofthe shell upon the main support, and remains in place upon shellwithdrawal. However, this assembly may be separately removed, if sodesired, without interference with the tube bundles themselves. It isinevitable in this class of apparatus that a certain amount of soliddeposit will collect during the operation, and periodically the shellmust be removed for the purpose of manually cleaning out the vapor spaceand removing the solid residue.

During operation it is desirable that the space surrounding the tubesand within the shell shall be effectually bafiled, and that the entireshell space shall be available for heat exchange purposes. I accomplishthis useful result by tapering the shell outwardly from the closed endto the point at which the shell is connected to the support in order toclear the shell from the enclosed baffle assembly and tube bundles onceremoval is initiated. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention itwill be noted that the main body 62 of the shell is tubular andmeasurably smaller in diameter adjacent the closed end than at the openend, the intermediate portion providing a gradual and uniform taper. Theupper end of the shell body 62 may be integrally closed by a cap 64welded to the body at 66. 'llhe shell is detachably connected to thenozzle ring by a bolting flange 68 which is secured .to a similar flange'70 on the ring.

Obviously the advantages of the present construction would be securedregardless of whether the shell is detachably connected to the nozzleannulus or ring, or directly to the unitary support with the nozzle ringforming a part either of the shell or an integral part of the support.Furthermore, with this construction I am enabled to more effectivelybafiie the circumferential space surrounding the tubes than wouldotherwise be the case, due to the fact that no substantial clearance isrequired between the baflie assembly and the inner wall of the shell. Inthe construction shown in Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, the heat exchanger issupported in a generally horizontal position by supporting members 72,which engage with a generally tapered shell 74. This shell is closed atone end by a domed cover '76, bolted to the shell at '78, and at itsopposite end is connected with a flat tube sheet bolted between theflange portion of the shell and a bottom cover 82 by a series of boltingconnections 84. Liquid is delivered to and from the shell by virtue ofnozzles 86 and 88, and is caused to circulate about the tube passes by alongitudinal baflle member 90, which is tapered in conformity with thetaper of the shell, and extends lengthwise of the shell, as indicated,from the tube sheet 80 to a point adjacent the upper end of the tubebundle, leaving an opening 92 for the passage of liquid to oppositesides of the baflle. Liquid is circulated through the tube bundles intwo passes from the passages 94 formed in the head, liquid beingadmitted to and delivered from these passages by nozzles 96 and 98. Theopposite end of the tube bundle is closed by a head 100, which is boltedto an upper or floating tube sheet 102.

Movement of liquid through the intertubular space longitudinally of thebundle is controlled by transverse baflles in the form of semi-circularplates 104 supported by the bundle or the longitudinal baflie, as thecase may desire. cated, these plates are staggered with relation to oneanother in order to provide a circuitous path for the flow of liquidlengthwise of the tubes. The longitudinal baffle may be provided withflanges 106 turned in the direction of the shell curvature, withasbestos packing or the like 108 interposed between the edges of thelongitudinal baffle and the shell to provide a sealed and virtuall'yliquid-tight joint. Through the provision of the tapered shell memberthe joint between the battles and shell may be tightly sealed withoutinterfering with the disconnection and removal of the tapered'shell fromabout the tubes, as would As indi-- otherwise be the case in the eventthat a cylindrical shell were employed.

What is claimed is:

1. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a support provided with a fluidpassage, heat exchange tubing connected to the support and communicatingwith the fluid passage, the tubing consisting of a generally parallelseries of tube lengths having a free space therebetween through whichfluid medium circulates lengthwise of and about the tubes, and a tubularshell enclosing the intertubular space surrounding the tubes and closedat the end remote from the support, the shell being detachably connectedwith the support and tapering outwardly from the closed end to theconnected end to facilitate removal from abou the tubes.

2. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a supporting assembly having afluid passage and a fluid inlet nozzle, heat exchange tubing connectedto the support and extending therefrom and communicating interiorly withthe fluid passage, and a tapered shell enclosing the heat exchangetubing and detachably connected with the supporting assembly, theshellbeing closed at the end remote from the point of attachment.

3. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a supporting assembly having afluid passage and a fluid inlet nozzle, heat exchange tubing connectedto the support and extending therefrom and communicating interiorly withthe fluid passage, a tapered shell enclosing the heat exchange tubingand detachably connected with the supporting assembly, the shell beingclosed at the end remote from the point of attachment, and a baflleassembly introduced into the space between the heat exchange tubing andthe surrounding shell to obstruct the fluid passage between the shelland the tubing. 1

4. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a supporting assembly having afluid passage and a fluid inlet nozzle, heat echange tubing connected tothe support and extending therefrom and communicating interiorly withthe fluid passage, a-

tapered shell enclosing the heat exchange tubing and detachablyconnected with the supporting assembly, the shell being closed at theend remote from the point of attachment, and a baflle assembly locatedin the space between the tube and surrounding shell and mounted on thesupporting assembly to obstruct fluid flow between the tubing and shelland permit removal of the shell independently thereof.

5. Heat exchange apparatus comprising heat exchange tubing, a shellenclosing the space about the tubing and tapered lengthwise of thetubing,

means for directing the flow of fluid medium to and from the interior ofthe tubing and to and from the intertubular space within and about thetubing, means for detachably supporting the shell in assembledrelationship about the tubing, and means for bafliing the inte'rtubularspace tightly sealed to the enclosing shell to prevent leakage of fluidmedium thereabout.

6. A heat exchanger comprising a length of heat exchange tubing, a shellsurrounding the tubing and tapering lengthwise thereof, bafllesextending both longitudinally and transversely within the shell anddesigned to prevent leakage of fluid medium between the baflies andsurrounding shell, and means for introducing fluid medium bothinteriorly of the tubes and in the intertubular space about the tubes.

CHARLES H. LEACH.

